Tag Archives: novelty print

I’m a real sucker for matching sportswear. They have endless outfit possibilities and let me pretend that I have created a collection for my own pretend fashion label for Fashion Week.

Ideally, I want to complete my matching sportswear within a month of making each item of clothing. But very often, that is not possible because of my general disregard for time. (I’m slowly getting better at this, I swear.)

I wrote about the “Dancing Couples Flared Skirt” back in January 2015, but only managed to make this matching bateau neckline top several months later, in October 2015. And for some reason, after completing it, I put it back in my closet and only wore it out for the first time in May this year for Me Made May. (What is wrong with me???)

All right, let’s get over the embarrassing timeline and focus on the subject of the post. The bateau aka boat-neck design was a very popular cut in the 50’s. Using pictures of vintage 1950’s sewing patterns I have found online as inspirations, I drafted my own pattern for a fitted blouse with a bateau neckline and cut-in armholes.

Front view

Back view

The construction of the blouse was easy. I didn’t even make a muslin for this. The trickiest thing was actually deciding the kind of fastening I wanted for the top. As the blouse has a pretty fitted waist, I needed something with an opening that was large enough for my arms, shoulders, head, and (non-existent) boobs. I didn’t have any separating zippers (and didn’t want to buy one), so I simply made do with an invisible zipper that I had.

Centre-back zipper fastening and contrast thread

Armhole finishes with bias tape

I somehow managed to find a balance where I could *just* fit the blouse over my head. (Thank you, non-existent boobies.) But in hindsight, I probably should look into doing some research on vintage dressmaking techniques and doing a proper vintage fastening, like having the bottom fastened with buttons so I won’t have to do the wiggle every time I put this blouse on.

Well, live and you learn.

I still have maybe a quarter yard of this fabric available. I should look into making an accessory with the rest of the fabric, like a hat, a belt or a little purse. We’ll see!

I bought a yard or so of this lovely knitted fabric with repeated pear print in Sydney AGES ago. As the fabric itself is kinda quirky and attention-grabbing, I decided to make a simple shift dress with it, using a long knitted dress I have as a base (i.e. no paper pattern involved). I have never worked with knitted fabric prior to this and boy was I in for a ride. I finished the neckline and the sleeve openings using bias tape I made with the same fabric and.. all I can say it that it needed a lot of patience..

And then I decided to get a little creative and do a curved hem for the dress. That was the worst decision I made in the process of making this dress. The dress turned out a little too short to be a real dress but still a little too long to be a tank top. It’s still really cute in my opinion but I am just finding it hard to reconcile with the ultra mini length.

Maybe all I need is a pair of white plastic hoop earrings and white go-go boots, then I’ll be good to go. Swinging sixties look, of course.